By Ameh Ejekwonyilo
Abuja
The Court of Appeal has introduced a new practice direction to ensure quick disposal of appeals.
This is contained in a statement issued by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa announcing the commencement of the court’s annual vacation.
She said the court will proceed on vacation today, July 13th and will resume on September 11th, 2015.
Justice Bulkachuwa said the new practice direction placed emphasis on speedy hearing and disposal of appeals that border on debt recovery, corruption, human trafficking, kidnapping and money laundering.
While reviewing the activities of the court in the outgoing legal year, Her Lordship said the 2015 had been very busy for the court because it was an election year.
She said that in order to avoid delay and ensure that elections were not over-burdened, more than one panel was established for states with more petitions.
“2015 being an electioneering year was very eventful for the court. Election petition tribunals were established across the 36 states of the federation as well as organized retreat for justices of Court of Appeal and Chairmen of the tribunals.”
Justice Bulchuwa convened another workshop for secretaries of the trinunal on best practices where she advised them to be good ambassadors of the court by shunning unprofessional conducts in the exercise of the duties.
It would be recalled that Bulkchuwa upon her appointment as President of the Appeal Court last year, set up the Legal Services Unit; saddled with the responsibility of liaising with the court’s external solicitors and the Financial Consultancy Unit, charged with advising the management on best financial practices with a view to pegging down cost and wasteful expenditures.
As part of her commitment to further de-congest the court, Justice Bulkachuwa reiterated her commitment to the Court of Appeal Mediation Programme.
She explained that in line with Order 16 of the Court of Appeal Rules, the programme would encourage litigants to settle out of court and whatever the outcome of the mediation will be the final decision of the court.
